Latch mechanism



J. P. TARBOX :LATCH MECHANISM Feb. 27, 1934.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 14 1925 Feb. 27, 1984. R ARBQX 1,948,688

LATCH MECHANISM Filed Aug. 14 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I l x I PatentedFeb. 27, 1934 UNITED STATES- LATCH MECHANISM John P. Tarlzox,Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to Edward G. Budd Manufacturing Company,Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application August 14,1925. Serial No. 50,170 4 Claims. (01. zap-s37) My invention relates toautomobile door latches of that class the. purpose of which is toenlarge the range of vision through the window of the door. Automobiledoor windows are commonly movable up and down to open and close thewindow. The windows are preferably made as wide as possible to securethe maximum range of vision therethrough. But the fact that space has tobe provided for the usual transversely extending latch operating spindlelimits the width of the window. later in the automobile doors thisspindle was moved as closely as possible to the jamb face of the doorto-get a maximum in width, and within recent dates these latchmechanisms have been devised to circumvent the path of movement of thewindow, the operating mechanism passing without the borders orwithoutthe path of the window glass in any position and returning again withinthe transversely projected borders of the path. With the making of thislatter invention, the old type of through-spindle was departed fromthough its equivalent was used in some cases. My invention has to doparticularly with a construction by means of which the old type ofspindle can be used, and the simplicity and sturdiness of the old typeof latch and very low cost of manufacture are one and all retained.

According to my invention I provide in con- 80 nection with the jambrail of the door an exterior projection from itsjamb face, and carry theusual latch operating spindle transversely of the door through thisprojection. The projection itself I utilize as an element of a dove-tailformed by it and coacting dovetail formations on the door post.

The best form of my invention now known to me is shown in theaccompanying drawings. Of these Figure 1 is a perspective view of alatch per se of the latch mechanism detached from the door.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the door and portions of the mechanismincluding the latch operating spindle, the, main body of the door beingbroken away to efiect a showing on the large scale;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of this embodiment in a plane includingthe axis of the latch operating spindle, and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the coacting door post and latch keeper.

Fig. 5 is a small size elevation showing modi fied arrangement ofoperating handles.

The door in which my invention is embodied is a door of the modern steelconstruction. Its

In the old carriage doors and jamb rail 10 is of pressed steel having across section in the shape of a double Z. The outermost branch 11 ofthis jamb rail extends outwardly of the jamb face of the rail andconstitutes the over-lap of the door which covers the space between thejamb rail and the door post 12 when the door is' closed, as most clearlyappears. in Fig. 3. This outermost branch 11 also carries the outerpaneling 13, the edges of the latter being bent and pinched over andwelded thereto. In the angle between the outermost main body 14 of thejamb rail and the intermediate branch 15 is secured an angle member 16which is positioned in such manner that it cooperates with the branch 15to form therewith a glass run channel 17. The detachable window glass 18is thus provided with a run-way or guide-way, which latter is lined onits inner surface with felt 19 for a purpose well understood in the art.

Secured in the angle between the innermost '15 main body portion 20 ofthe Z section jamb rail and thelatch board 21 and carried from the innerbranch 22 of the Z section of the rail is the main body of a latchmechanism designated generally 23. This latch mechanism embodies a lockplate 24, a sliding latch bolt 25, and an interior oscillatable latchoperating handle 26 pivoted at 27 and operatively connected with thelatch bolt through its engagement with the arm 28 of the bell crank 29,which latter is also mounted on the pivot 27. In addition to theseprincipal elements of the latch mechanism I have provided an exteriorlyoperating handle 30 which is connected I with the free end of the arm 31of the bell crank 29 through the arm or lever 32. I preferably provide aloose connection between the free ends of the arms 31 and- 32 by meansof a pin 33 and a slot 34 provided respectively on either one or theother of these arms.

The sliding bolt 25 is arranged to slide through an opening provided inthe innermost main body portion 20 of the jamb -rail 10. A housing 35 isprovided for this sliding bolt, which housing is provided with a mainbody portion 36 having laterally turned tabs or ears 37 at each of itsends, these cars being secured to the latch plate 24 preferably byrivets 38. This casing or housing 35 has a cut-out portion 39 at the topthereof and a similarly cut-out portion at the bottom thereof for apurpose to be described immediately hereinafter. The bolt 25 is itselfprovided with a cut-out portion 40 intermediate its ends and the base 41of this cut-out portion is provided with a slot 42. As most clearlyappears in Fig. 1 the slot 39, while in vertical alignment with the slot42, is of considerably greater extent. Secured in any suitable manner tothe latch casing 24 or to the housing 35 or to both is a pin 43 whichserves as the back-stop for a spring 44 which latter tends to normallykeep the sliding latch in forward or projected position.

As has already been stated the latch mechanism includes the interioroperating handle 26 and the bell crank 29 both of which are pivoted onthe pin 27 which latter is secured to the latch plate 24. By virtue ofthe bottommost slot 39 in the bolt housing 35 and the slot 42 in thebolt itself it becomes possible to insert the bell crank arm 28 and thelower portion of the handle 26 therethrough. When these are insertedthrough the slots 39 and 42 and mounted for pivotal movement on the pin27, as is best shown in Fig. 1, it will be seen that by lifting the arm31 of the bell crank 29 the arm 28 thereof operates to engage the rearwall of the slot 40 of the bolt 25 to move the latter into retractedposition. During this operation it is, of course, evident that theoperating handle 26 is in no manner disturbed since the bell crank 29 isindependent thereof. However, by pulling the handle 26 rearwardly thearm 28 is engaged thereby and it in turn engages the rear wall of theslot 40 of the bolt 25 to retract the latter in a manner similar to thatdescribed when the arm 31 of the bell crank 29 is raised. In this case,however, the latch operating handle 26 moves in conjunction with theinside operating handle 30, this because the latter is connected throughthe lever 32 with the arm 31 of the bell crank 29.

The most important feature of this invention, however, is the provisionI have made for permitting maximum vision through the window of thedoor. Instead of passing the spindle 45 of the handle 30 transversely ofthe door but within the plane of the jamb face of the door, I haveprovided that this spindle 45 may be positioned without the plane of thejamb face. In order that this be accomplished, I have provided aprojection 46 in the nature of a transversely extending offset in theface of the outermost main body portion 14 of the door rail. This ismost clearly shown in Fig. 2. The spindle 45 is passed through thisoffset projection and is j ournaled in the space between the glass runchannel 17 and the outer wall of the ofiset. When journaled in thismanner the spindle 45 passes through the over-lap 11 of the door andlies without the lamb face thereof. I have found it preferable toprovide that this ofiset portion of the jamb face be positioned belowthe lower face of the bolt 25, this for a purpose which will bepresently described.

The post 12 as shown in this instance is an intermediate post of thetype adapted to receive the jamb faces of doors at opposite sidesthereof. Only one such door is shown in this case though it is to beunderstood that another door is to be provided and the opposite face ofthe post constructed and equipped accordingly. This post carries a latchkeeper 47 of the usual form in line with the sliding bolt 25. The keeperis provided with stepped faces 48 and 49 for the purpose which is wellunderstood in the art. Immediately below the keeper and in line with theoffset portion 46 in the jamb face of the door the body of the sheetmetal post 12 is inwardly ofiset as indicated at 50. This offset is inthe nature of a grooved recess complementally formed with re spect tothe transversely extending projection 46 in the jamb face of the doorand is adapted to receive the offset projection 46 from the jamb face ofthe door as is most clearly shown in Fig. 3. When the door is in closedposition, there is effected by virtue of the coaction of thecomplementally formed offsets 46 and 50 an interfitting connectionbetween the door and post which renders unnecessary the provision ofmale dovetail members in addition to the latch mechanism for securingproper alignment of the door in its door opening. Yielding engagingwalls in any of the well known dove-tail forms may be provided in lieuof the fixed walls of the offsets 50. Appropriate taper and clearancesmay be provided as common in dove-tail structures.

The operation of my latch and the coaction and operating between theseveral parts of the door and the post will now be apparent from theforegoing description; When the door is to be opened, either one of thehandles 30 or 26 may be operated to retract the bolt 25 so that it isdisengaged from the keeper face 49 whereafter the door may be opened. Byreason of the fact that the door is provided with an offset projectionformed complementally with respect to the groove formed in the post toreceive the same, they constitute or serve the purpose of the usualdovetail for aligning the door with respect to the jamb.

The handles 30, as disclosed in Figs. 1 to 4, are of the one-armed levertype, the arms projecting in each case away from the post so that theywill not interfere with each other by reason of the close proximity ofthe spindles to each other. In Fig. 5 is shown an alternativearrangement according to which either the latch mechanisms bodily or thespindles and operating mechanism only are vertically displaced on theadjacent doors whereby double-armed operating levers or handles of theusual type may be used without interference, for the spindles are bythis arrangement moved farther apart.

The spindle is in each case journaled n the offset 46 which has asemi-cylindrical form and a depth to accommodate the full diameter ofthe spindle. The spindle 45 is held therein by the glass run channel 17,as shown, but it is to be understood that any other means of securingthe spindle in the hearing or any special bearing desired may beprovided.

Where I have used in the following claims the expression an extensibleportion of substantially the full width of the body of the door, or asimilar expression, it has reference more particularly to the relativeextent of the door and the extensible portion or sliding window at thelatch side of the door with which my invention is more particularlyconcerned.

Other embodiments of my invention will occur to those skilled in the artupon the disclosure of this one and the understanding of its genericspirit which the disclosure provides. Such modifications are intended tobe definedby the terms of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In combination, an automobile door having a pressed metal jamb rail,having an integral outward offset in its jamb face together with a latchmechanism connected with said door and provided with interior and.exterior latch operating devices inter-locked by means housed in saidoffset.

2. In combination, an automobile door having a j anib rail provided withan integral exterior projection on its jamb face, a latch mechanismconnected with said door interiorly thereof having interior and exterioroperating members carried 1,948,688 it x by said door and operativelyconnected together by means passing through said projection, and a railand inwardly oiiset toaccommodate said prw jection. j

3. In combination, an automobile door having a jamb rail provided withan integral exterior projection on its jamb face, a latch mechanismconnected with said door interiorly thereof having interior and exterioroperating members carried by said door and operatively connectedtogether by means passing through said projection, and a door postprovided with walls coacting with the opposite sides of said projectionto constitute i door and post. 7 door post having a jamb face juxtaposedto said i with it an interfltting connection between the 4. Incombination, an automobile door comprising an extensible portionsubstantially of the full width of the body of the door, and a jamb railof presed metal constituting a part of the body of the door and havingan integral outwardly projecting portion extending into the spacebetween the jamb face and the doorpost, a latch mechanism connectedtogether by means supported through the intermediary of said out-',wardly projecting portion. a

I JOHN P. TARBOX.

